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IlIBRARY OF CONGRESS. I 






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ADDRESS 



THE CLERGY AND THE PEOPLE 



COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, 

FROM THE 

MIDDIESEX MASSACHUSETTS AUXILIAKT SOCIETT=j 

Established June, A, D. ISir, 

I3r AID OF THE 



AMERICAN SOCIETY 



TliWS YOUTH FOR THE GOSPEL MINISTST. 



CAMBHIHGE. 

FEINTED ET HILLIARD AND KETCALF. 

1819. 



ADDRESS. 



Rerei-end and Beloved, 

The rapid population of the United States, at a 
ratio unknown in history, except in the case of the 
ancient Israelites in Egypt, has excited the solicitude 
of many friends of their country and of the gospel, for 
a competent supply of suitable religious instructers 
for the American community. 

The gratuitous circulation of Bibles and other re- 
ligious books, and the zealous efforts of Christian 
missionaries, spreading themselves in numerous and 
distant directions, in places usually destitute of pub- 
lic instruction, have been liberally blessed to excite 
a veneration for the Christian Sabbath, and a dispo- 
sition favourable to a preached gospel. The infor- 
mation, communicated through various respectable 
mediums, has increased their solicitude to meet the 
growing and pressing demands for learned and pi- 
ous missionaries, and for promising candidates for 
settlement in numerous sections of our country. In 
many of these sections there is a sufficient popula- 
tion, with adequate means for the decent or honour- 
able support of ministers, without the present possi- 
bility of obtaining them. 

Learning is spreading rapidly among the mem- 
bers of the American community, which calls more 
and more strongly for preachers and pastors, who, 
by the advantages of a liberal education, and experi - 
mental piety, shall be " apt to teach," and be capa^ 



4 

blc of refuting the arguments of unbelievers and 
gainsayers. 

The population of the American republic has risen 
almost to ten millions, whilst the whole number of 
living ministers, educated in domestic or foreign col- 
leges, does not exceed fifteen or sixteen hundred. 
This number furnishes less than the proptirtion of 
one clergyman of liberal education to si.v thousand 
souls. 

It is an estimate, far beyond the calculation of those 
who have gone before us, to suppose an equal num- 
ber of Christian preachers of all denominations, who, 
by the aid of academic or school or private instruc- 
tion, or who, by their own efforts, after the example 
of the indefatigable and learned Baptist Missionary, 
Dr. Carey of India, have acquired the grammatical 
knowledge of their own language, a facility and cor- 
rectness in English composition, or who have any 
critical acquaintance with the Hebrew or Greek ori- 
ginals of the Holy Scriptures. 

We would not affirm, that in every case a collegi- 
ate education is an essential requisite for the gospel 
ministry, or that such education is a sufficient quali- 
fication for the preacher's office, without real piety of 
heart, and purity of life. But all judicious persons 
must perceive and acknowledge the value of a learn- 
ed and regular theological education, for examining 
the Script'ires at the fountain head, and for perform- 
ing the arduous and diversified duties of the gospel 
ministry. 

The want of an early and regular preparatory ed- 
ucation is felt and acknowledged by several preach- 



I 



5 

ers of other detiominations than Congregational, of 
respectable character for piety, natural talents, and 
diligence in improving their means of knowledge. 
These are honourably engaged in recommending and 
aiding, by their utmost iofluence, plans for the learn- 
ed education of young men of piety for the ministeri- 
al office in their respective denominations. 

In many considerable sections of our country, the 
gospel has never yet been preached, through defi- 
ciency of religious instructers. In some places men 
profess to teach the gospel, who acknowledge their 
inability to read it. The wildest and most alarming 
errors in doctrine are propagated by crafty or en- 
thusiastic men. These by their sophistry or zeal, 
not according to knowledge, draw aside from the 
truth as it is in Jesus, many uninformed minds, 
which might have been preserved from their infiuence, 
if a learned evangelical ministry had been establish- 
ed near them. 

The third Report of the National Society furnish- 
es sundry illuminating facts and calculations. In 
North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, prob- 
ably containing at this moment one and a half mil- 
lion of souls,* the number of ministers who have re- 
ceived a liberal education does not exceed 110, or 
1 such minister to 136,000 souls. ^^ The states of In- 
diana, Mississippi and Louisiana, with the adjacent 
territories, containing 350,000 souls, and which will 
very soon swell to half a million, are represented as 
having only 17 stated teachers of education. In 
eight counties west of the great Allegany Ridge in 

" 1,223,048 in 1813. 



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Virginia, 4^,000 out of 48,587 inhabitants are whol- 
ly unconnected with any religious denomination. In 
two other districts in the same state, 73j000 people 
are in the same condition, except a very few Metho- 
dists and Baptists, and 60,000 are in like deplorable 
circumstances in a compact, rich and populous dis- 
trict ; making a total of 180,000 in one great section 
of the state) without public religious instruction. 
A handful of Methodists and Baptists are represent- 
ed as deserving much credit, for their zeal and exer- 
tions, ia a tract of country larger than all New Eng- 
land, west of Maine. 

" Half the adults in the western parts of Pennsyl- 
vania probably can neither read nor write ; and 
thousands never entered a school, nor saw a Bible, 
nor any other book, nor ever heard a sermon ; and 
this among a people who have extensive farms, in 
fine order, with large orchards, brick houses and 
stone barus. One district of that region has 40,000 
people, with but one fixed pastor. A respectable 
missionary describes a tract of country in the same 
state, of one hundred miles in extent, with but one 
settled minister. 

"Two hundred organized congregations in the wes- 
tern district of New York are represented as unable 
to find ministers for settlement, through the great de- 
ficiency of well educated preachers.*^ 

Many towns, of New Hampshire and Maine, pos- 
sessing sufficient numbers and means, if united in 
one body, for supporting a regular pastor, are desti- 
tute of due instruction, and seldom hear a preacher, 
whose education has been sufficient to qualify him to 



explain, to teach or to defend tlie broad system of 
Revelation, in its variety of doctrine and precept. 
Many Cliristians of extensive and philanthropic 
views have been much alarmed at the evidence which 
appears, that the population and cultivation of our 
country are making so rapid advances, whilst tiie pro- 
portionate number of educated ministers diminishes 
by an awful ratio. 

<* Seventy years ago, New England had a minis- 
ter of collegiate education for every 628 souls, whilst 
the whole United States at the present moment have 
but one such minister to 6000 souls. 

" For the first eighty years, the colleges of New 
England furnished half of their graduates for the 
work of the ministry. Since the year 1770, or for 
about fifty years only, about one out of five or six 
have devoted themselves to the service of the 
churches. The population of the country has multi- 
plied eight fold within seventy years, whilst the 
number of its ministers has doubled only once with- 
in this long period. A proportional increase of pop- 
ulation for seventy years before us will furnish 7^ 
millions of inhabitants ; and should our liberally 
educated ministers be only doubled at the close of 
this period, the whole number will furnish only 1 to 
^4,000." 

From such considerations and calculations, the 
American Society for educating pious youth of prom- 
ising talent for the ministry, was formed A. D. 1815. 
Its officers, including its honorary vice Presidents, 
are among the most distinguished citizens of Ameri- 
ca in point of moral and religious character, learning 



8 

and public spirit, aad belong to ten different states. 
The constitution is liberal and catholic. Episcopa- 
lians, iuclnding a bishop of apostolic purity and zeal, 
Presbyterians and Congregationalists, harmoniously 
sustain its offices.* 

A strict attention is paid to the examination of the 
talents and moral and religious character of these, 
who are candidates for their charitable aid, in ob- 
taining a suitable theological education. 0>e hun- 
dred AND FORTY SIX studeuts belonging to eleven 

DIFFERENT STATES, and of FIVE DENOMINATIONS, at 

the date of Sept. 1818, had been pursuing their stu- 
dies in eleven colleges, and in many private schools, 
under tlie patronage of this very respectable society. 

The present condition of our country calls for great 
additions to the number of its pious and enlightened 
teachers of religion. In behalf of many thousand 
souls in the United States, which may perish in their 
sins without immediate and great pecuniary aid, 
and other corresponding exertions, to provide them 
with suitable religious instructers, the American So- 
ciety has already contributed large sums for the ac- 
complishment of its interesting object. 

But their means, though enlarged by the collec- 
tions and contributions of sundry auxiliary societies, 
fall much short of the urgent calls on their charity, 
by the condition of millions of our fellow citizens. 
At the last auuiversary meeting at Concord, June 10, 
1818, the Middlesex Auxiliary Education Society 
appointed the subscribers to address the clergy 
and the community of Middlesex generally, in order 

* See Apperdix. 



9 

to solicit their attention to the literary and religious 
preparatory education of pious American youth for 
the gospel ministry. We transmit the Constitution 
and the observations which we have offered, and 
which we believe supported by suitable authority, 
for the serious and attentive consideration of both 
sexes and of all classes. The liberal attention paid 
to our charitable design by Woburn, furnishing jS154 
of the total of 8^70 for the county of Middlesex, and 
by Littleton, and the generous repeated contributions 
of the county of Norfolk to the national society, lead 
us to hope, that the present address and statement 
will lead, in the respective towns, to plans and asso- 
ciations in behalf of our object, which has such an 
important bearing on the immortal interests, as well as 
on the moral character and the civil good of born 
and unborn millions. 

"We cherish the fond hope, that when the profess- 
ed designs of our society are well understood through 
the county, they will excite a more general attention 
among its citizens. We appeal to the charitable, 
patriotic and pious feelings of persons of both sexes, 
and solicit their immediate and cordial aid by con- 
tribution, by subscription as regular members, or by 
associated bodies. Individuals and numerous socie- 
ties of the female sex, organized with appropriate 
officers annually chosen, have contributed a very lib- 
eral proportion to the funds hi'herto raised for the 
education of pious youth for the gospel ministry. 

The American Bible Society, and the American 
Society for educating pious youth, happily harmon- 



10 

ize in their objects and their plans. As the copies 
of the Holy Volume are multiplied and attentively 
read, enlightened teachers are prized and sought, to 
explaiu and apply scripture truth to its saving and 
sanctifying purpose. Experiment hath proved, that 
the word -preached is valued, in proportion to the at- 
tention of the public mind in its perusal. AYe have 
the privilege of living in these times, in which '' many 
run to andfro,''^^ to circulate the Scriptures, and to 
preach the everlasting gospel among Heathens and 
Mahometans, and among the poor and the ignorant 
in Christendom. Thus " knowledge," the most sub- 
lime and interesting, *^^is increased ;" and we are led 
to hope, that by the agency of the word and its min- 
isters, and by the enlightening and renewing influ- 
ence of the Holy Spirit, ^' all men may soon know 
the Lord, from the least to the greatest." To this 
let our Christian brethren and sisters of whatever 
name in the county of Middlesex — say, Amen. 
We are, with Christian respect, 

your obedient servants, 

JONATHAN HOMER, C rn.«r«^fu. 
JOHN WHITE, 'iCommittee. 



APPENDIX. 



officers of the Jlmerican Society for Educating Fiaiis Fouth for 
the Gospel Ministry, chosen Sept. 30, 1818. 

His Honor Yv'illiam Phillips Esq, Presiderd. 

William Bartlet Esq. Vice Fresident, 

Honoimry Vice Presidents. 
Hon. William Reed. 
Hon. Caleb Strong LL. D. 
Hon. John C. Smith LL. D. Con, 
Gen. Charles C. Pinckney, S. C. 
Hon. Elias Boudinot LL. D. wY. J. 

Robert Ralston Esq. Pa. 

John Bolton Esq. Ga. 
Rev. Ashbel Green D. D. Pres. Missaii Rait. 
Rev. Jeremiah Day LL. D. Pres. Yale Coll. 
Rev. Jesse Appleton D. D. Pres. Botvdoin Coll. 
Rev. Samuel Austin D. D. Pres. Burlington Coll. 
Rev. Eliphalet Nott D. D. Pres. Union Coll. 
Rev. Henry Davis D. D. Pres, Hamilton Coll. 
Rev. Zephaniah S. Moore D. D. Pres. Williams Coll. 
Rev. Joshua Bates, Pres. Middlebury Coll. 
Rev. Francis Brown. Pres, Dartmouth ColL 
Rt. Rev. Alexander V. Griswold D. D. Bishop of the Prot. 
Epis. Church, in the Eastern Diocess. 
Rev. Charles Coffin, D. D. Pres. Greenevilk Coll. 
Hon. Edward H. Robbins. 
Rev. Asa Eaton, Clerk. 

Aaron P. Cleveland Esq. Treasurer, 

Pliny Cutler Esq. Auditor. 

Birectors. 
Rev. Abiel Holmes D. D. 
Rev. Ebenezer Porter D. D. 
Rev. Samuel Worcester D. D. 
Rev. Leonard Woods D. D. 
Rev. Brown Emerson. 
Rev. Asa Eaton. 
Rev, Sereno E. Dwight. - . 



±2 

LO^STITUTION 0¥ THE MIDDLESEX AUX. SOCIETY, 



We, whose names are under written, highly approving the 
object of " The American Society for educating Pious Youth 
for the Gospel Ministry," and desirous of cotitiibuting to its 
support, do hereby form ourselves into an Association, by 
the name of the " Middlesex Auxiliary Society for educating 
Pious Youth for the Gospel Ministry," and adopt the follow- 
ing Constitution : 

I. The object of this Society shall be the enlargement of 
the funds of the Parent Society, by paying the monies col- 
lected, to the Treasurer of that Society, and by establishing 
Branch Societies in the several towns and parishes in the 
county, for the same purpose, as more fully expressed in the 
sixth article of the Constitution of the said " American So- 
ciety." 

II. Any person, being an inhabitant of the county of Mid- 
dlesex, may become a member of this Society, by subscrib- 
ing this Constitution, and engaging to pay annually, on or 
before the first day (.f June, a sum not less than one dollar; 
and shall continue a member, so long as he shall make such 
annual payment. Any person also, in the county aforesaid, 
who shall subscribe and pay into the treasury of this Socie- 
ty a sum not less than fifteen dollars, may be a member for 
life ; and any member of the Parent Society, living within 
the county, may become a uiember of this Auxiliary Society, 
by simply subscribing this Constitution. 

III. The officers of this Society shall be a President, a Vice 
President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and an Auditor, who 
shall be annually chosen by ballot; and these officers, togeth- 
er with four Directors, to be also chosen annually by ballot, 
shall cimstitute a Board of Direction. 

lY. It shall be the duty of the Board of Direction to use 
their best endeavours for increasing the number of subscri- 
bers to this Society, and to transmit to the Treasurer and 
Secretary their names and the sums subscribed ; and, in their 
collective and individual capacity, to encourage and aid the 
formation of Branch Societies and other charitable associa- 
tions in the several towns and parishes within the county. 

V. The Treasurer shall be required to keep a distinct ac- 
count of the sums received by him from the members of this 
Society, and of all donations ; and also of the several sums 



13 

from time to time received by him from the respective Treas- 
urers of the several Branch and other Societies connected 
with this ', to pay all incidental expenses, as ordered by the 
Board of Direction ; and to transfer, once a year at least, 
(or quarterly, if required by the Board,) all monies in his 
hands to the Treasurer of the Parent Society. 

The payment of all monies shall be made by order of the 
Board. 

VI. The Auditor shall examine the Treasurer's accounts, 
and make Report of the same in writing, at every annual 
meeting of the Society. 

VII. There shall be an annual meeting of the Society on 
the second Wednesday in June, in such place as the Society 
may determine, for the puipose of choosing officers, hearing 
the Auditor's Report, and transacting other necessary busi- 
ness, 

VIII. This Constitution, but not its object, may, at any 
annual meeting of the Society, be altered by a vote of three 
fourths of the members present, provided said alteration be 
recommended by the Board of Direction. 

The Article of the Constitution of the Amesicas SociEfr, re- 
f erred to in the first of the above Jlriides, makes it the duty of the 
Board of Directors of that Society " to superintend the manage- 
" meat of the funds and other property of the Society ; and to ef- 
'■'■feet, to the utmost of their powers the enlargement of the same,^^ 

"6?/ establishing auxiliary societies, and other charita- 

" hie female associations of various kinds, as also of young men of 
'' different occupations, especially of such as have themselves enjoy- 
" ed the advantages of a liberal education . . . . " Sfc, 

OFFICERS. 

Samuel Hoar, Esq. President. 

James Winthrop, Esq. V. President. 

Rev. Josepli Cbickering, Secretary. 

Dea. Jolm White, Treasurer. 

Dr. Amariah Preston, Audlto7\ 
Rev. Paul LitcMeld, ■>. 
Rev. Jonathan Homer, f -^. 
Rev. Samue! Stearns, Y^ivectors. 
Rev. Rufus Hurlbutj -^ 



14 

Br, The Middlesex Auxiliary Society for educating 
isir. 

June U. To cash paid Hilliard & Metcalf for printing gl5,50 
To " for stationary .... 2,50 

1818. 

May. To " for printing advertisements . 3,00 

June 10. To " for printing circulars for said Socle- ? _, „ 

ty to Rev. J. Chickering, Woburn 5 ^'^" 

To " for tracts for said society . . 1,90 

Ocit. 19. To « paid A. P.Cleveland, Boston, Treasur-") 

er to the American Society for educating Pi- 1 190,00 
1819. ous Youth (as per receipt) J 

May 12. To cash paid to the American Society by the 

Rev. Mr. Homer 10,00 



Balance in Treasury .... 40,54 

§270^94 



10 

Pious Youth in aecH with John White, Treas. Cr, 

1817. 

Aug. 26. By cash received of Rev, Joseph Chick- "j 

ering, Woburn, from members of his L 45,00 

Society J 

5gjjf. 26. " " of Miss. Mary Merrick, Sec-") 

retary and Treasurer of the Female ! |^ /-/? 

Auxiliary Society for educating Pious f ' 
Youth, Concord . . . J 

Dec. 1. « " of Samuel Hoar Esq. . 5,00 
1818. 

Jan. 26. " " of Dr. Amariah Preston, Bedford, 7 c« 05 

from members in Woburn . 5 ^' 

" " of Dr. Preston from Woburn 7 , ^. 47- 

in addition .... S ^' 

« « of Dr. Preston from Bedford 2,03 

June 10. " " of Rev. J. Chickering from 7 e i~ 

Woburn for 1817 . . 5 ^'^' 

« " for 1818 . . . . 37,30 

" " of Branch Society in South ^ ^^ ^^ 

Reading S ' 

« « of Rev. Jonathan Homer, Newton 2,00 

« " of Dea. Samuel Farrar, Lincoln 1,00 

« « of James Farrar, Lincoln . 1,00 
" " of Rev. Dr. Ripley, donation 

(Concord) 3,00 

« " of Elijah Stearns, Esq. Bedford 1,00 

« « of Dr. A. Preston « 1,00 

" « of Dea. Moses Fitch " 1,00 

« « of Michael Crosbv « * 1,00 

« « of J. White for 1817 and 1818,7 ^ ^^ 

Concord . . . ' 3 "' 
" " of David Lawrence, Esq. Littleton 1,00 

« " of Alden Wheeler for 1818 . 1,00 
June 11. « « of Rev. Paul Litchfield, for 1817 7 
and 1818 .... 5 

" " " " as donation 5,00 
Aug. 14. « " of Mary Merrick, Sec'y and"^ 

Treas, of the Middlesex Auxiliary »! ■joo'i 

Society for educating Pious Youth for j ' 
the Gospel Ministry, in Concord J 

Oct. 14. " " of the Rev. Joseph Chickering,? . ^„ 

from Members . . . ^J ^'^O 

Amount carried over, ^-319,94 



2,00 



16 

Amount brought over, 219,94 

By casli refunded from Hilliard & Metcalf 1,00 
<• « ofS.Hoar, Esq. 18ir, Concord 5,00 
« « « " 1818 5,00 

« « of E. Lawrence Esq. 1818, Lit- > 

1819. tleton J 

May 12. « " of Miss Mary Munroe, Treas- "] 

urer of the Cambridge Female Benev- L 10,00 
olent Society . . . , J 



30,00 



8270,94 

Errors Excepted. 

JOHN WHITE, Treasurer^ 
May 12, 1819, 



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